His most famous work is Alice's Restaurant, a talking blues song that lasts eighteen minutes and twenty seconds (in its original recorded version; Guthrie has been known to spin the story out to forty-five minutes in concert). The song, a bitingly satirical protest against the Vietnam War draft, is based on a true incident. In the song, Guthrie was called up for a draft examination, and rejected as unfit for military service as a result of a criminal record consisting in its entirety of a single arrest, court appearance, fine and clean-up order for littering. In reality, Guthrie, though a carrier of the genetically inherited disease Huntington's chorea, was classified as fit (1A); however, his draft-lottery number did not come up.
Russian Girls
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
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Get an education, thinking thoughts on their own
Making decisions, telling men what to do
Look at the trouble that we're all going through
Russian girls could save the world
Here in America, land of the free
Used to mean something to you and to me
Well, then you ain't really free anymore
Russian girls could save the world
Meanwhile back in the U.S.S.R.
They're making women change tires on cars
Working in factories and incredible as it seems
They make them study gymnastics
And you know what that means
Russian girls could save the world
The lyrics of Arlo Guthrie's song "Russian Girls" talk about the growing need for women to get an education and make their own decisions. He claims that many women are growing up wrong, and that it's time for them to start thinking for themselves instead of letting men tell them what to do. He believes that women could make a big difference in the world if they were given the opportunity to do so.
In the song, Guthrie contrasts the land of the free (America) with the Soviet Union, where women are being made to change tires on cars and study gymnastics. He suggests that Russian girls could save the world because they are being taught valuable skills and given opportunities that American women are not. By empowering women, Guthrie believes that we can solve some of the problems facing the world today.
Overall, the lyrics of "Russian Girls" are a call to action for women to take charge of their own lives and make a positive impact on the world. Guthrie's message is one of empowerment and equality, and he encourages listeners to think differently about the role of women in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many women growing up wrong
There are too many girls growing and developing in a way that leads them down the wrong path.
Get an education, thinking thoughts on their own
It is important that women receive an education and are able to think for themselves.
Making decisions, telling men what to do
Women are capable of making decisions and leading men, just like men have traditionally led women.
Look at the trouble that we're all going through
Our society is currently having trouble because women are not being given as much of a chance as men.
Russian girls could save the world
Russian women have the potential to help fix many of these issues that our society faces today.
Here in America, land of the free
America is supposed to be a free country.
Used to mean something to you and to me
However, this freedom seems to have been lost, at least to some extent.
You can't tell women what they really are for
It is not fair to tell women what they are capable of or what their role in society should be.
Well, then you ain't really free anymore
If women are not allowed to be free to create their own meaning or purpose, then neither are men.
Meanwhile back in the U.S.S.R.
In contrast to the United States, in the Soviet Union...
They're making women change tires on cars
Women are being assigned tasks that have traditionally been assigned solely to men.
Working in factories and incredible as it seems
Women are working in factories, which is surprising considering the gender roles prevalent in this society.
They make them study gymnastics
Women are also being given the opportunity to learn gymnastics.
And you know what that means
The implications are that women are being given more opportunities in the Soviet Union than they are in the United States.
Russian girls could save the world
Ultimately, the song suggests that women could help to create a better world, and Russian women in particular could make great strides in that regard.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Arlo Guthrie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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